… and Exploring the Art of Hawaiian Quilt designing with John Serrao
Kau ke kaha i ka uluna. The head rests upon the pillow. All the work is done and there is nothing more to worry about. ʻŌlelo Noʻeau 1616 The Aloha ʻUlu quilt is finished and was mailed to the Boston Museum of Arts. It arrived safely in the hands of Jenn. It was an honor…
E kaupē aku no i ka hoe a kō mai. Put forward the paddle and draw it back. Go on with the task that is started and finish it. ʻŌlelo Noʻeau 319 John always had a saying. “My designs, patterns are just lines on a paper, until a quilter gives it life and breathes their…
ʻAʻohe ʻulu e loaʻa i ka pōkole o ka lou. No breadfruit can be reached when the picking stick is too short. There is no success without preparation. ʻŌlelo Noʻeau 213 The Hawaiian quilt is often called a “Labor of Love, it is a gift of patience and love. It takes nine months to even…
Aʻohe mea koe ma kūʻono. Nothing remains in the corners. Said of one who is extremely generous giving freely without reservation. ʻŌlelo Noʻeau 187 Needle turn applique is the technique of turning the raw edge of the design under and sewing it to the background fabric. It takes time and patience but when the applique…
Komo mai kau māpuna hoe. Put in your dip of the paddle. Pitch In. ʻŌlelo Noʻeau 1816 Poakalani and John Serrao started formally teaching Hawaiian quilting in the early 1980ʻs. Their classes not only taught Hawaiian quilting but also Hawaiiʻs culture and traditions especially the concept of ʻOhana” family. Whether related by blood or not…
Ua ahu ka imu, e lāwalu ka iʻa The oven is ready, let the fish wrapped in ti leaves be cooked. All preparations have been made, now let us proceed with the work. ʻŌlelo Noʻeau 2768 It takes nine months to even a year to complete a king size Hawaiian quilt and Poakalani always…
Hana a lau a lau ke aho, alaila loaʻa ka iʻa kāpapa oa ka moana. Make a four hundred times four hundred fish lines before planning to go after the fighting fish of the sea. Be well prepared for a big project. ʻŌlelo Noʻeau 446 Quilters are comfortable spending hours in a fabric shop trying…
Kauwā ke aloha i na lehua o Kāʻana Love is a slave to the lehua blossoms of Kāʻana. Kāʻana is a place between Keaʻau and ʻOlaʻa is where travelers used to rest and make lei of lehua. It took many blossoms and much patience to complete a lei. The lei was later given to a loved one….
He aikāne, He pūnana na ke onaona. Sweet indeed is a good friend ʻOlelo Noʻeau 516 Our story begins with an email from a co-worker who had a friend, who knew a friend, that was interested in Hawaiian quilting. I was then introduced to Jenn from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. What started as…
…It’s been an amazing year from our trip to Oxford England to our daily classes. Mahalo to all our quilters who continue to quilt in Hawaii’s traditional style and the Higashi Hongwanji who gave us home. Let’s make 2025 our best year yet.
….and it’s beautiful. Even with her busy schedule she still finds the time to create her very own Hawaiian Quilt tradition. While she has already finished several smaller quilts, this quilt leaves a lasting impression because of its dramatic blue colors and the floral design of the Bird of Paradise and Heleconia. The center design…
Congratulations Lori for finishing the Michigan Apple Blossoms. Mahalo for your hard work and dedication in completing this stunning quilt. Beautiful colors and wow those amazing stitches. Michigan became the 26th state in 1837 and is the 3rd highest producer of Apples in the great USA.
Gordon, a member of the Poakalani family for over twenty years finished his state for our 50+1 quilt project. He completed the state of Delaware also known as the First State, whose state flower is the Peach Blossom symbolizing spring, happiness and purity. It’s beautiful. Congratulations Gordon.
It took several years but Barbara finally completed her Kahili & Fan Quilt. A vintage quilt pattern from the Caroline Correa Collection. Traditional colors, beautiful design, fine quilting and applique stitches. Congratulations.
Because we weren’t at the Honolulu Festival this year our class was given another year to complete their state quilt. The quilts are slowly being completed and every time one gets finished, we are enjoying each and every unveiling. I so love hearing those oohhs’s and aahh’s. Please enjoy Maryland’s State flower quilt the Black-Eyes…
